Many elementary schools have adopted policies that demand its teachers adhere to prescribed curriculums so that students’ chances of scoring successfully on standardized tests improves. Teachers who do not agree with the rigorous constraints cannot challenge their superiors without fear of jeopardizing their careers. And so, we have a state full of classrooms with many unhappy, unmotivated teachers teaching our children. I wonder what our children are learning and more importantly, what aren’t they being encouraged to do, think, and learn. What happens when children stop playing, for there is no time, stop creating, for there may be more . . . → Read More: Sad Classrooms
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Happy 2012! I wish each and every one of you a year of peace, good health, prosperity, joy, laughter, compassion, serenity and inspiration. After the hustle and bustle of December, January is the perfect time to slow down and rededicate yourself to creating a stimulating, developmental, and joyous environment for your students. It seems amazing to note how the children change over the holidays; some appear to make developmental leaps while others appear to require more attention and reminders about proper behavior. Please join me in creating Magical “New Year’s” Moments for your preschoolers by introducing activities from my . . . → Read More: Happy New Year 2012 If you are teaching young children at this time of year, I feel that it is imperative to be aware and sensitive to the customs, rituals, and traditions that your students and their families adhere to. It is also very important to be knowledgeable about your individual school’s rules that govern holidays and celebrations. To me, the month’s goals should include holiday traditions, non-religious, yet festive, songs of the season, and stories, both fictional and real that reflect joy, love, and the beauty of giving. It is a wonderful time of the year to invite families into the classroom . . . → Read More: Holidays It seems unbelievable that Thanksgiving, 2011 will be here in a few weeks! As I prepare my “to do” list, I am also thinking about the people in my life, my happiness, fears, disappointments, and pleasures as well as those loved ones who have passed and are missed each and every day. To my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow zumba dancers, I thank you for the joy that you bring to my life, to the help that you have offered, for your laughter and friendship and of course for your continued empathy and understanding. I thank the children who . . . → Read More: Giving Thanks “Forever Love” is a sensitive, beautifully illustrated picture book that explores the everlasting love between a terminally ill parent with his child. “Room for One More” is a wonderful book to share with young children for it focuses on the heart’s ability to expand as a new baby is welcomed into a family. The story discusses feelings and unconditional love. “Margaret the Magnificent” is the first in the Margaret series of stories. It introduces the magical super-dog as she travels the globe in order to help a little girl find the courage and self confidence she needs to begin . . . → Read More: My Books As we know, language provides our children with the ability to communicate needs, wants, feelings, dreams, and fears, but, it also gives them the opportunity to heal, empathize and/or atone for misdeeds, disrespectful behaviors, and/or lack of kindness. So, how do we teach our kids the power in the three little words, ‘I am sorry’? Some adults feel that by forcing little ones to say the words, it automatically excuses transgressions and makes everything ok. Other adults seem to feel that a punishment for an action against another person is a substitute for an apology. However, if we are . . . → Read More: I Am Sorry The other day, I was listening to a group of young women discuss the intensity of both their own and their children’s lives. As I was listening, I was reflecting back to when my own kids were young. The chaos of those years seems so real to me that I was able to empathize with these women’s busy schedules and balancing acts. I felt out of breath and exhausted just remembering when my own girls, Nicole and Jamie were attending school, religious instruction, practicing for sports, playing in games, completing homework, studying for tests, attending or hosting play dates . . . → Read More: Family Time In a few days, our country will be honoring the lives of those who died on 9/11, those who magically survived the attack, and those heroes who selflessly worked to rescue survivors and uncover bodies that were buried under debris. Now, how do we communicate these horrors without scaring or scarring our children? The answer is to provide information that is appropriate for your child’s age. For instance, for little ones, you may want to show pictures and read stories about how soldiers, firefighters, and police officers keep us safe. It is also a great idea to remind your . . . → Read More: Remembering 9/11 Now that summer is ending, many of us are thinking about the upcoming school year, how to reduce children’s apprehension, and how to ensure that they are self confident and ready for their new experiences. Regardless of age, a blank notebook, a fresh backpack, new pencils, pens, markers, and/or crayons should be joyful and yet, for many children, it elicits feelings of insecurity and fear of failure. I believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that our kids are emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically ready to meet their new challenges. In order to transition from the carefree days . . . → Read More: A New School Year The last week of school deserves special planning and sensitivity so that children experience both closure and an understanding of where and what they will be doing after their last day of school. Even if it requires phone calls to each child’s home, it is necessary for the teacher to be as informed as possible so that he/she can help each child to be ready and to feel confident about his/her next step in life’s journey. During this week, it is important for boys and girls to review the 2010/2011 school year, help pack away books and supplies, and . . . → Read More: Last Week of School |
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